The Center of the Universe

Infants can be excused for assuming that they are the center
of the universe. Everyone in the vicinity—mother, father, grandparents—seems to
be doing nothing other than caring for the baby. Twenty four hours a day, seven
days a week, adults respond to its calling.

As children begin to grow, developing from infant to childInfants can be excused
to teenager to adult, they start to recognize that they are only one of seven
billion people, that the entire human species—as well as the planet we
inhabit—is but a speck in a solar system within a galaxy, which is completely
insignificant compared to the vastness of the universe.

Yet, despite this knowledge, something inside of us
protests. Something deep within the psyche of the individual insists that he or
she is special and indispensable.

And that is a good thing.

Moses’ greatest fear as the Jewish people were about to
enter Israel was that the Jew would no longer see himself as the center of the
universe. He was afraid that once the Jews crossed the Jordan River, the
individual would see himself as nothing more than one among millions; an
individual citizen whose choices don’t make much difference in the grand scheme
of things.

Moses understood that in order for a nation to survive, for
it to maintain a high moral ground and live up to its calling as a light unto
the nations, each individual must understand that the destiny of the nation is
in his or her hands.1 The
greatest threat to morality is if every individual believes that the purpose of
creation, the mission of the Jewish people, and the fate of humanity is out of
his or her control. The greatest assurance that people will make the correct
choices in life is when each individual understands that G‑d looks to him or
her as the center of the universe.

In the opening verses of this week’s Parshah, Moses creates
a covenant with the people:

You are all standing this day before
the L‑rd, your G‑d, the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers,
every man of Israel, your young children, your women, and your convert who is
within your camp, both your woodcutters and your water drawers...2

Then, after speaking to them in the plural, Moses switches
to the singular:

..in order to establish you this day as His people, and that He
will be your G‑d, as He spoke to you, and as He swore to your forefathers, to
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

The “you” in “in order to establish you this day as His people” is written in the singular. Moses is
telling each and every Jew: You are not just one in a nation of millions. Don’t
look to others to carry the Jewish heritage for you. You, personally and
singularly, are G‑d’s nation, the
center of His universe. He is looking to you to carry the torch.

Rabbi Menachem Feldman serves as the director of the Lifelong Learning department at the Chabad Lubavitch Center in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Art by Rivka Korf Studio, a Miami-based art design studio run by Rivka Korf, a coffee lover and mother. Rivka uses her expertise and creativity to run a team that creates masterful compositions and illustrations for corporate and large nonprofit organizations.

Dear Rabbi FeldmanThese words you put before for us are so inspiring and awesome wow thank you..
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Bill WellsLouisvilleSeptember 24, 2019

Centers of the Universe: Point to Points.....
If the soul is a center point within the heart, wired throughout a neural network, would Moses have really seen a burning bush or perhaps, at that moment, he would experience the colors more radiant than how the norm was seeing? Could the fire of colors, be enough to excite the imagination, to raise questions, to see and reflect more upon the gift, that is GIFT, which comes into awareness for a nation, in a different way than individually? Or perhaps vis-i-vis tribal? Electronically, the query will come back to the Rabbe and community, who will read the reply, which is not the same as orally activating words being typed in love. To operate in loving kindness requires not much but that which is spelled out in a couple of verses while being magnified throughout Torah? Can you please eleborate?
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